Grateful

7 months later…

"She's beautiful." AJ smiled, holding her newborn niece in her arms in the hospital room as Coleen smiled, lying in bed, "Hi, baby." AJ smiled, tapping he baby's little nose softly whilst Punk stood beside her looking on, "Oh, it makes me want another one." AJ frowned as Punk widened his eyes.

"I think it's time we get going." Punk teased as AJ smiled.

"She's beautiful." AJ shook her head, looking down at the baby girl who was named Louise, "Where is Patrick?" AJ asked Coleen.

"Oh, he went back home to pick up the carrier. We of course forgot to bring it and we can't leave the hospital without her being in it." Coleen nodded.

"Was it smooth sailing?" AJ smiled, "I know I like to make birth look difficult." She nodded.

"Yeah, it was pretty straight forward. She came really quickly. Like… my waters broke and she was here an hour later." Coleen nodded.

"Well at least you made it the hospital." Punk nodded, "Normally that's our downfall." He smiled to AJ who laughed a little and nodded.

"It's true." AJ nodded.

"Didn't you bring the kids?" Coleen asked them.

"Oh, yeah. They're with Dean and Tara in the café downstairs. I wanted to come up and meet her first because I'm selfish." AJ said truthfully as Coleen smiled, "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm so proud of you." Coleen replied. She knew her big sister hadn't had an easy time these past few months, but she had fought back and she was still that badass that she knew was deep inside.

"I grew up thinking I'd never have a family and it's… it's getting so big." AJ laughed to herself, "I mean my kids have a cousin. That's amazing." She shook her head as Coleen smiled.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing." Coleen smiled, "How you holding up, Phil? I know your… I know Hilary and Michelle got a life sentence." She said.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Punk nodded, "They're not my family. I don't feel anything for them. Biologically maybe but… my family is here." He said as Coleen smiled, watching as the door opened and Raimy, Vivian and James burst through.

"Hey, guys." Coleen smiled.

"You had your baby!" Vivian cheered excitedly, "Is she here?" She asked as AJ sat down on the chair as the three of them immediately crowded around her, making Coleen chuckled.

"Her name is Louise." AJ nodded to them, "She's cute, huh?"

"Oh, she's so cute." Vivian whined happily.

"She's small." James said, tilting his head as he looked at his cousin, "And why is she sleeping? She just got here." James said with confusion as Punk chuckled.

"That's what babies do, kid." Punk said, lifting James up into his arms, swinging him from his hip, "They do a lot of sleeping and napping." He said.

"Sounds nice." James nodded as Punk chuckled.

"I know, right?" Punk nodded, "Where is Dean and Tara?" He asked them.

"They're outside kissing." Raimy told him as Punk rolled his eyes.

"There's a surprise." AJ scoffed whilst Raimy and Vivian crowded around their baby cousin, "Do you guys wanna hold her?" AJ asked with a smile as Raimy nodded.

"Me first." Raimy said, "Because I'm the oldest." She made clear as Vivian huffed and folded her arms.

"Ok." AJ stood up, "Sit up on the chair." She nodded as Raimy sat up, "Two hands." She emphasised as Raimy nodded.

"Mom, I've got a little brother and sister. I've held them before." Raimy said as AJ laughed a little.

"Of course." AJ nodded, passing Louise over to Raimy who held her carefully.

"She's sweet." Raimy smiled, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Ok, times up." Vivian said, "Me next."

"I just got her." Raimy shook her head.

"Hey, you can hold her in a little minute." AJ nodded to Vivian, turning to Coleen who chuckled to herself.

"You really think you want another one?" Coleen asked.

"Oh, I was one hundred percent joking." AJ made clear as Coleen smiled, "Hey, baby. You tired?" AJ asked James who was in his father's arms, resting his head on his shoulder. It was later on at night, past the kids bedtime, which meant James was getting sleepy.

"No, I'm not tired." James said stubbornly whilst practically drooling on Punk's shoulder, "I'm just uh… resting my eyes." He shrugged as AJ nodded slowly.

"I see." AJ smiled.

"Hey, you guys don't have to stay long." Coleen made clear, "I know it's late. You can swing by in the morning." Coleen said.

"I'll go sit outside." Punk nodded, "Maybe he'll fall asleep." He told them as AJ nodded.

"I won't." James made clear as Punk just nodded.

"Sure you won't." Punk hummed.

"Ok, well we'll be out in five minutes probably." AJ nodded, "Once the girls have a hold."

"Take your time." Punk nodded to her as she smiled, watching as he left the hospital room.

Punk left the room, closing the door behind him and looking to his right where he saw Dean and Tara messing around, "This is a hospital." Punk walked over to them.

"Well spotted." Dean nodded, "Hey, how is the baby?" He asked.

"She's cute." Punk nodded, "AJ is still in with the girls, they're desperate to hold her." He said.

"Oh, how sweet." Tara smiled.

"You guys don't have to stick around." Punk let them know.

"You sure?" Dean asked, "We can take the kids back if you and AJ wanna stay-"

"No, it's fine. I think we're gonna get the kids back home for bed. We'll swing by in the morning." Punk nodded.

"I'm not tired." James mumbled as Dean looked at him.

"I don't know, Jay, you look pretty tired to me." Dean said.

"Shh." James said as Dean chuckled.

"Honestly, it's fine. Thank you for bringing them." He nodded.

"I'm glad mom and baby are good." Tara smiled, "Can you ask AJ if we're still on for coffee tomorrow?"

"AJ never cancels coffee dates." Punk nodded, "But I'll tell her to text you."

"Ok." Tara smiled, "Well congrats on becoming an uncle." She nodded.

"Yeah, uncle puncle." Dean patted Punk on the back as Punk just chuckled. In a way, he'd never saw a couple so suited for one another. At first he was a little worried that both Tara and Dean were too alike, and that they would clash heads, but they turned out to make a great couple, and were already talking about buying a house together.

They eventually left the hospital and Punk walked over to the chairs to take a seat, holding James in his arms. It didn't take the three year old long to fall fast asleep, resting into his father's shoulder whilst Punk sat watching the busy nurses and doctors fly by him up and down the corridors.

Meanwhile back in the room, Vivian was now getting a chance to hold Louise and was beaming with pride.

"How you been doing?" Coleen asked, taking her sister's hand as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I'm getting there." AJ smiled, "I'm better than I was before." She nodded.

"I was worried about you for a while." Coleen said honestly, "I know Phil was too."

"I'm better now." AJ nodded, "It was like it all just hit me, you know?" AJ said, "Therapy is really helping. I realised that I actually didn't fully understand what I'd gone through. I'd always just shifted it to the back of my mind." AJ said, "And when everything happened at that house, being chained to that bed and… everything that went on. I don't know, it was like my life flashed before me." AJ shook her head.

"You're the bravest person I know." Coleen nodded.

"You're pretty brave yourself." AJ smiled, "And I'm so proud of you." She said, leaning over and giving her sister a hug. To have a sister was such a wonderful gift she'd been given throughout this mad journey. To find someone who was her family, and help her, and become her best friend. It was truly magical, even after all the ups and downs.

"You do realise that I'll be on the phone to you, asking you about all things babies, every hour of the day?" Coleen smiled as AJ laughed and nodded.

"And I promise I'll pick up every time." AJ said as Coleen smiled.

AJ eventually left the hospital room with the girls, looking over as she saw her husband sitting with their sleeping son on him, smiling to herself.

"Why don't you guys go pick something from the vending machine down there?" AJ asked the girls, taking some money out and giving it to them as they ran off whilst she walked over to Punk and sat down beside him.

"Is candy the best idea before bed?" Punk laughed a little.

"They'll be fine." AJ shrugged, "I'm so happy for her." She shook her head, playing with the back of James' hair where he had dark curls.

"Yeah, it's nice for something good to happen, for once." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I'm so grateful for this." AJ nodded as Punk turned to her, "I really did have nothing at one point. For so long. Maybe that's why I… why I became so cold. I didn't know what having a family, having love felt like." She shook her head, "And now I'm surrounded by it every day." She smiled to him.

"Me too." Punk smiled, "I'm so proud of you. I know these past couple of months haven't been easy but… you're doing so well and… I think you're finding out more things about yourself. I just always want you to be happy." He said as she smiled.

"I am." AJ nodded, "What happened to me wasn't all that I am." AJ said, "I think I became so cruel and… you know, going to prison whatever, because I… I thought that was where my life was destined to go." AJ said, "I never saw a bright light. I just saw, the next day ahead of me. I certainly never saw a life like this." AJ shook her head.

"You probably wanted to kill me when we first met." Punk smiled to her.

"Honestly, I did." AJ nodded as Punk smiled. She remembered that time in her life, and she did truly remember wanting to off Punk and his friends, but only because she was scared.

"Oh, I know." Punk said.

"Anyone that came into my life back then, I felt like I needed to get rid of them before they hurt me." AJ nodded, "But you… you were different. You were the first person who looked at me as a human being and not… what I'd done or what I'd been through." She said, "It's why I fell in love with you." She nodded as he smiled.

"I knew there was more to you. Layers." Punk nodded, "Like an onion." He said.

"Gosh, I love when my husband gives me pet names." AJ teased as Punk smiled and nodded.

"It's true. Every day I feel like I continue to learn different things about you and I hope that never stops." He said as she smiled.

"I love you." AJ nodded, "I don't think you'll ever know how much you mean to me." She said as he smiled.

"I like the wonder." Punk nodded as she smiled, cupping his cheek and leaning forward as she kissed him softly, pulling back as she looked over to the girls who were banging at the vending machine.

"You think their candy has gotten stuck?" AJ laughed a little as Punk turned around, watching as Vivian tried to shake the vending machine, laughing to himself.

"It's alright. They've got your determination. They'll get it." Punk nodded.

"I don't know, they things are pretty tricky." AJ said, watching closely as Raimy put Vivian on her shoulders, "Ok, now I'm nervous." She said.

"Just wait." Punk nodded, watching as Vivian banged on the top of the vending machine whilst on her sister's shoulders.

"Got it!" Raimy exclaimed as she saw her candy fall down eventually.

"You see." Punk smiled, turning to AJ who smiled to herself, "They're definitely your children." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"Our children." AJ smiled, kissing his cheek and cuddling into him and James as he smiled.

A/N: That's the end for this story guys, thanks for reading and reviewing! I really loved writing this story and I thought it was important to write involving these kinds of issues. I might come back to it again but for now it's a wrap. I'll no doubt be working on something new soon so stay tuned!